Chelsea Gray Caught Fire and the Aces Survive Minnesota's Comeback 100-97

The Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx just gave us the best game of the 2026 WNBA season so far. And it wasn't particularly close in terms of entertainment value.

Two of the best teams in the league. A combined record of 20-6 coming in. A first quarter that looked like a blowout. A fourth quarter that looked like the Lynx were going to steal it. And then the Aces found a way the way they always find a way to close it out at the free throw line. Final score 100-97. Las Vegas improves to 10-3 and remains the only undefeated Western Conference team in Commissioner's Cup play at 5-0.

This one had everything.

Chelsea Gray was absolutely on fire

Six three pointers. 23 points. 7 assists. And in doing so Gray tied the WNBA record for most threes made in a two game span with 15 a mark previously accomplished by Kayla McBride and Diana Taurasi. Read that again. Chelsea Gray is in the same sentence as Diana Taurasi in the record books right now.

She came out in the first quarter and hit four threes in the opening period alone tying her season-high for threes in a quarter and gave the Aces an early 16-6 lead that set the tone for the entire first half. Every time Minnesota made a run Gray had an answer from deep. This is the seventh game in her career with consecutive 20-plus point performances. She is playing the best basketball of her season right now and it is must-watch television every single night.

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A'ja Wilson kept making history

24 points. 10 rebounds. 3 blocks. Her 11th consecutive game with at least 20 points the fourth-longest such streak in WNBA history. Her 97th career 20-point, 10-rebound double-double trailing only Tina Charles who has 110. Her 127th career double-double overall fifth all-time.

And in the fourth quarter when Minnesota cut it to two and had all the momentum in the world, Wilson had a massive block on Courtney Williams, grabbed the rebound, and hit a jumper on the other end to push the lead back to four. That's what MVPs do. That's what the best player in the world does when her team needs her most.

She has now scored in double figures in a league-leading 37 consecutive games. The records keep coming and Becky Hammon literally said she has lost track. I believe her.

Jackie Young was the closer

16 points and 10 assists her second double-double of the season and 14th of her career. Her 10 assists led directly to 26 points for teammates. And when it mattered most with Jewell Loyd who hadn't been to the line all game Young's playmaking got Loyd to the stripe for three crucial free throws that put Las Vegas back ahead 96-94 with under a minute to play.

Then the Aces went 4 for 4 from the line in the final 44 seconds to seal it. Championship basketball. That's what that was.

Young also quietly broke a tie with Maya Moore for the most regular season victories by a WNBA player before turning 29 she now has 186 wins and counting. Another record. Another night for Jackie Young in the history books.

NaLyssa Smith was steady all night

15 points on another efficient night from one of the most underrated players in the league. Smith has been a rock for this team all season and Saturday was no different. When the Aces needed second chance points she was there Las Vegas grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and turned them into 19 second chance points against one of the best teams in the West.

Olivia Miles showed why she was the No. 2 pick

Let me give credit where it’s due Olivia Miles was spectacular tonight. A career-high 29 points including a step-back three with 44.3 seconds left to give Minnesota a 97-96 lead. That’s the dynamic rookie playing like she belongs on the biggest stage. She also had an and-1 in the fourth that gave the Lynx their first lead since early in the first quarter.

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And even Aces head coach Becky Hammon had to acknowledge it after the game.

“These are two really good teams. Just going blow for blow," Hammon said. "We knew they were going to make a run they’re not going anywhere. They got a lot of experience. They’re a well-oiled machine over there. They have a lot of the same pieces with Kayla and Courtney and their staff.”

Then she paused and said what everybody watching already knew:

“Olivia’s just different. She’s different.”

When a championship coach stops mid-sentence to find the right words for a rookie opponent — that’s a compliment that means everything. Olivia Miles is different. We saw it tonight. Minnesota’s bench also outscored the Aces bench 26-7, and their 10-2 run to close the game showed why they are a 10-3 team. This was a real game against a real opponent, and the Lynx are going to be a problem all season long.

The franchise is making history too

The Las Vegas Aces are 5 wins away from becoming just the fifth franchise in WNBA history to reach 500 victories joining LA, Minnesota, New York, and Connecticut. They also sit at exactly 495-495 all-time at .500 for the first time since moving to Las Vegas and since Game 2 in franchise history back in 1997. And the Aces have now scored at least 100 points in three straight games tying the WNBA record for consecutive 100-point games and have hit the century mark a league leading five times in 2026.

This franchise is doing things that have never been done before. Every single week.

My take

10-3. Five straight Commissioner's Cup wins. Three straight 100-point games. Chelsea Gray tying a WNBA record. A'ja Wilson's 11th straight 20-point game. Jackie Young with her second double-double of the year. NaLyssa Smith being reliable every single night. And a win over a 10-3 Minnesota team that threw everything at them in the fourth quarter and still couldn't get it done.

The Aces are built for this. Every single night they find a way.

Las Vegas heads back on the road to close out Commissioner's Cup play June 15 at Dallas at 5pm PDT and June 17 at Phoenix at 7pm PDT. Both games on USA and The Spot-Vegas 34. Her Game Network will be watching every minute.